Almond tree

The almond tree ( Prunus dulcis or Amygdalus communis ) is a tree of the family of the Rosaceae , whose flowers of a rosy white, appear before the sheets. It is the first fruit tree to flower at the end of the winter, one period when it still freezes the morning.

The almond tree is one of the symbols of virginity because the virginal character of this tree results owing to the fact that the flowers appearing well before the sheets, each branch then veils completely white thus giving the impression which the almond tree avoided of its wedding gown.

Description

It is a tree with the pentamerous flowers (floral parts by 5 or multiple of 5). It can reach 6 to 12 meters in height. He lives from 50 to 80 years and multiplies by sowing or Clerc's Offices. Its wood, of good quality, is used in cabinet work.

Its fruit is the Amande. The largest producer is the California, with about 50% of the worldwide production. The almond is delicious natural, it is a blessed fruit which one can also taste in Dragée or in Praline, but bitter (fruit of the wild almond tree), it becomes toxic for the man, even mortal with certain amounts because it contains Hydrocyanic acid .

Characteristics

reproductive Bodies:

Standard of inflorescence: corymbe
Distribution of the sexes: Standard hermaphrodite
of pollination: entomogame
Period of flowering:

Seed:

Standard of fruit: Drupe
Mode of dissemination: endozoochore

Habitat and distribution:

standard Habitat: matorrals Mediterranean
Surface of distribution: Mediterranean

given according to: Julve, pH., 1998 FF. - Baseflor. Botanical, ecological and chorologic index of the flora of France. Version: April 23rd, 2004.

Use

The almond is very rich in oil, proteins, glucids and vitamins. It contains 50% of lipids with in majority of the fatty-acids, that is to say on average: 75% of oleic acid, 18% of linoleic acid and 7% of palmitic acid.

She eats herself such as it is, out of dry fruit, it is one of the 13 desserts of Christmas of Provence. But she also eats herself in dragee, dresses some or out of fruit disguised in the Frangipane. The almond paste is one reconstituting energy to consume with small amount.

The almond oil extracted the core is, since the Antiquité, very much used for its properties cosmetic, lenitive and hydrating in the event of cutaneous ignition (healing and anti-inflammatory drug in Cosmétologie). It softens and invigorates the skin and is used in Dermatologie.

It is also an excellent laxative, used by the Vétérinaire S like purgative for the cattle.

The almond tree is also used in Gemmothérapie, for its bud which would have, according to holding of these doctrines, a antiscléreuse property in the elderly.

Culture

The almond tree is very sensitive cold and needs light, sun and dry air. This tree emphasizes poor grounds because it can push on grounds stony, dry, without organic matter. It has very few requirements except a deep and permeable ground. It is put up even with the slightly salted grounds and is liked on the grounds limestones.

The fresh almond harvest (in green) is made in May and June manually. Harvest in hull takes place in September, October, when the shell (the green part which surrounds the hull) is quite open and dry.

Production

Approximately 450.000 tons of green almonds (peeled almonds) are produced in the world. California is the first world producer with 250.000 tons, then Spain with 60.000 tons, Italy with 40.000 tons and Greece with 16.000 tons. Among the other producers, one finds Iran, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Israel, Turkey. The production of these countries is generally absorbed by their domestic consumption.

In France, 2300 hectares were devoted to the culture of almond in the Nineties. Today the Rhone delta, the Alp-of-High-Provence and the Corsica carry out 80% of the national production, that is to say 3.500 tons, but which account for only 10% of our needs. France thus imports more than 90% of its consumption, in spite of a revival of French amandiculture and creation by the INRA of varieties with gustatory and nutritive qualities higher than those of the Californian or Spanish varieties.

History

The almond tree was mentioned by the writers of Antiquity and one finds it quoted in the Bible like crescent in country of Canaan:

In the book of the Genesis, chapter 30, it is told that Jacob supported the natural selection of the animals in his favor; it obtained lambs of the color which it wanted using a stratagem: it placed branches of almond tree and plane tree partially barked in the channels where were going to drink the ewes ready to conceive.
the almonds belong to the “gatherings of the country” that Jacob sends like present to Pharaon (Genesis 43,11). The stick of Aaron, which represents the house of Lévi, changed into a branch of almond tree flowered and bearing fruit (Number 17,23).
the branches of the candlestick of the sanctuary had “three cuts in the almond shape with buttons and flowers” (Exodus, 25,33).

The tree is originating in the plates and the mountains of the Occidental Asia. It is cultivated since 5.000 or 6.000 years in Iran. It was introduced in Egypt by the Hebrew and was brought back in Europe by the Greek . The Romains brought back the almond, which they called “Greek nut” in Italy. The almond tree was introduced into the South of France at fifth century BC, but it took its rise only with the top Moyen-âge.

The Arab S propagated it on all the Mediterranean circumference, progressively of their conquests.

In France, a charter of 716, delivered by the king of the Francs Chilpéric II, mentions almonds with other spices. In 812, Charlemagne orders to introduce the almond trees into the imperial farms. With the the Middle Ages, the consumption of almonds in the kitchen is very important and at the 14th century, and they constitute a big part commercial of Venice.

In the middle of the 19th century, the almond tree is established with the the United States, which became today the first world almond producer, with in particular the California.

Aromatic character

The Flavor of the almond tree, or almond, is defined like basic aromatic character. One speaks then:

of odor of the flower of almond tree, sometimes detected in white wines.
of flavor of dried almond, near of the Vanillin, frequent on old white wines.
of the bitter almond character of many vintages early products white.
of the discrete taste of almond core of certain old men red wines.
of flavor of grilled almond, certain white wines of guard.

The almond tree in the literature

the almond tree , a song of Georges Brassens
the branch of almond tree , a poetry of Alphonse of Lamartine, site

External bonds

http://www.sudamandes.com Only co-operative of France
http://www.pommiers.com/amande/amandier.htm
http://upar.free.fr/amandier/in_amandier.htm
http://environnement.34500.free.fr/621amandier.html

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